How can HR leaders manage toxic email chains?

Negative email? Don't get mad, stay professional

BY Jodi Walters 05 Oct 2022

Emails have become so ubiquitous in the workplace that many employees feel overwhelmed and stressed out by the sheer volume they receive – which can impact their wellbeing and performance. An article written by HRD’s Coann Labitoria gives readers seven tips on how HR leaders can remain professional when receiving hostile and overly critical emails. Email has made workplace communication faster, easier and more convenient. And while it’s great news for communications, it makes sending hostile or overly negative messages far too easy.

A recent survey conducted by Wakefield found 89% of professionals cite sorting through emails as one of the most unpleasant aspects of work, with 38% adding that email fatigue is likely to push them to quit. As a written medium, emails don’t include face and voice cues that add more information, so it’s no surprise that some employees could be triggered by a straightforward email from a supervisor asking for an update on a project – some may even see it as a judgement on their pace of work.

While quickly charging off an angry reply can be emotionally satisfying, it’s rarely the best approach.

Pause and resist the urge to respond quickly – take a short walk, have a glass of water or even chat with a colleague to help release tension before replying.
Re-read the message carefully – Ensure you haven’t misinterpreted the tone of the email.
Keep cool – avoid being defensive, keep your response objective.
Craft a professional and respectful response – short, straightforward, and devoid of sarcasm or irony.
Take it offline – address the situation with an in-person conversation.
Ask for help – if it’s not confidential, get a second opinion from a colleague.
Don’t take it personally – assume the sender does not mean to be rude and the email was likely misinterpreted.

Read the full article here: 7 ways to manage negative email at work.